No Joy - Califone

(Photo credit: Jodi Heartz)

Reinvention, reimagining, artist reconstruction… call it what you will. It seems like we live in a hypercritical time where an artist takes a leap only to be blasted for taking a risk. Yet, when an artist doesn’t take a risk, they’re put on notice for becoming stale. So where does that middle ground lie?

For starters, it probably lies in music journalists overvaluing their self-importance and, quite frankly, needing to chill the fuck out. Personally, we’re drawn to an artist taking that chance just as much as we are one who says “this is who we are, deal with it.” How does that tangentially relate to No Joy’s “Califone?” I don’t know… Guess we’re just tired of seeing those tired arguments.

It’s clear the traditional No Joy framework is there here. The single, which is the first one off of the upcoming CREEP EP, still has the gnarliness, but there’s more electronic influence coupled with a spaced out sound that rushes to the back of the lawn of an open air arena. Jasamine White-Gluz’s voice still elevates effortlessly as well.

But the build-ups seem a little more patient, like White-Gluz and fellow No Joy companion Laura Lloyd are stripping it all down just to stack it up again with more patience in a Jinga-like manner, but towering nonetheless. Paired with a video that looks like it’ll take a tongue-in-cheek glance at the west coast at first, “Califone” goes global and serious with its message quickly. They’ve done this before, but in this manner, well, we’re pretty excited for what’s on deck.